Daily Archives: December 14, 2012

Joseph E. Mann 64, of Glen St. Mary died on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at the Veterans Medical Center in Lake City after an extended illness. He was a lifelong resident of Baker County, the son of Funston Mann, who preceded him in death. He was a long distance truck driver, a member of the VFW, American Legion and DAV.

Gracie Lee Poitevint, 80, of Macclenny died on Saturday, December 8, at St. Vincents Medical Center in Jacksonville following a brief illness. She was born in Bainbridge, GA and lived in Lake City, Macclenny and Callahan for most of her life. She was the daughter of the late Henry Outler and Ruby Corine Yown Poitevint. She was a former business owner and ordained minister, and a member of the Jacksonville Word of Faith Church.

She was preceeded in death by siblings Dallas and Monta Poitevint. She is survived by daughter Simone (James) Fouraker of Jacksonville; sons Gary (Hilda) Harrington of White Springs, FL and Rocky Harrington of Lake City; sister Betty Boston of Lake City; brothers Edgar (Marion) and Ben Poitevint, both of Branford, FL; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

September 14, 2012Comments Off on Drug trafficking from Sanderson house

The sheriff’s department charged two men with trafficking drugs from the residence of one of them in a north Sanderson neighborhood.

The arrests of Arnold (Ace) Clayton, 40, and Willis Hudson, 36, were based on a series of controlled buys at the former’s Clayton Ave. residence during a time period ranging from June 29 through August 27.

The two were picked up on August 31 when warrants were served at the address and remain in custody at county jail this week.

Because of the amount of drugs and frequency of the offenses, the case will likely be submitted to a federal grand jury. In the meantime, Mr. Clayton is being held without bond for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and sale.

For the time being, Mr. Hudson is charged only with a firearms violation.

Investigator Mike Hauge, who handles drug cases for the sheriff’s department, and Investigator Randy Crews, who is part of a regional drug task force, arranged the buys using two undercover purchasers. Police records indicate the buys took place during daylight hours on ten occasions involving cash ranging from $30 to $320.

September 14, 2012Comments Off on Local landowners wary of changing zoning law for mining

When word spread late last month that a county commissioner was angling to put another regulatory hurdle in the way of two proposed sand mines being planned by out-of-county companies, it caused a number of local landowners to grow concerned about their own assets.

A meeting among an estimated 15 owners of large tracts of timberland, including Rayonier, DuPont, the Knabbs, the Davises, the Mobleys and others was convened August 30 at the Chamber of Commerce in Macclenny to discuss the measure, which they believed at the time Commissioner Mark Hartley would introduce five days later.

Attendee John Kennedy said the group was mainly concerned that the ordinance to be proposed — which would’ve required owners of parcels zoned agriculture to rezone their properties to industrial to carry out sand mining — may hinder their ability to sell their holdings, most of which are zoned agriculture today.

Mr. Kennedy, a retired banker, has numerous timber and land holdings in Baker County.

They were also worried the legislation was primed for quick passage with little discussion.